Religious belief is a by-product of cognitive predispositions, not an evolved adaptation

Evidence

The basic idea of the cognitive by-product view is that mental content that is psychologically more evocative, or “contagious,” propagates better. This makes religious belief not a naturally selected adaptation but a non-adaptive by-product of a suite of cognitive predispositions that originally evolved to serve other (nonreligious) functions. We can be more specific about this basic insight. We pay attention to, remember, and transmit concepts that resonate with strong emotions, that help us understand and predict the world better, and that are moderately (but not totally) compatible with our intuitive understanding of the world. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 357

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the cognitive by-product perspective on religion, the core alternative theory this chapter’s later argument builds against.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 357
• XREF: connects to: Costly signaling theory cannot explain religious displays without cultural transmission.; Ordinary cognition, not special modules, produces religious beliefs — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 44; Religion is an evolving family-resemblance package, not a natural kind — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 635 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Ordinary cognition, not special modules, produces religious beliefs #corroborates (0.90) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 44
• Mind-reading capacity supplies the cognitive basis for belief in disembodied gods #expands (0.80)
• Religious survival advantage resists explanation by individual or genetic selection #corroborates (0.78)
• Religion is an evolving family-resemblance package, not a natural kind #qualifies (0.72) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 635
• Cultural evolution fills in god content within evolved mentalizing constraints #expands (0.72)
• Believing in God is inseparable from anthropomorphizing God as a personlike mind #expands (0.70) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 77